I Support HR 676

Whereas: We spend over $2.3 trillion, or $7,500 per capita, for healthcare in the US, yet 42 percent of people under 65 have inadequate or no insurance coverage;

Whereas: The healthcare coverage in the United States is ranked #37 in the world by the World Health Organization and yet we spend almost twice as much as any other country, enough to cover everybody with excellent comprehensive healthcare;

Whereas: A bill has been proposed in Congress, HR-676, non-profit Medicare for All, that outlines a national healthcare program that will provide guaranteed, comprehensive, and affordable quality healthcare and prescription drugs to everyone in the country;

Whereas: Over 59 percent of physicians now support a national, single-payer health insurance system for everyone;

Whereas: HR 676 has been endorsed by 463 union organizations in 49 states including 116 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state AFL-CIO’s;

Whereas: Under this proposed plan, we can pay for a comprehensive national health care program with the same money we are now spending by removing insurance companies — and cover every single person in the United States;

And Whereas: The bill provides money for retraining and giving priority to those whose jobs as administrators in the insurance industry would be lost as a result of this shift;

Be it Resolved That: We call on our members of Congress to pass HR 676, non-profit Medicare for All, so our people and our nation can have the excellent healthcare system we deserve. Healthcare is a human right, and we call on our members of Congress to recognize that right.

Letter to

U.S. House of Representatives

I am writing to ask that you support H.R. 676, Rep. John Conyers’ (D-Mich.) United States National Health Care Act, by becoming a cosponsor and actively supporting it in Congress.

The U.S. is in the midst of a health care crisis. At least 46 million Americans are uninsured, and those who are insured pay way too much for too little care. Insurance premiums are increasing faster than inflation, and workers are paying 12 percent more than they did in 2007. In addition, nearly 50% of bankruptcies filed in the US are due to medical debt, and 70% of these bankruptcies were filed by people who had insurance at the time of illness.

National health insurance must be part of our economic recovery. H.R. 676 will save us an estimated at $1.1 trillion over ten years, while at the same time guaranteeing coverage for every American. A national, single-payer health care system would be the ultimate bailout for the American people.

I want to affirm my support for national, single-payer health care legislation (H.R. 676) and ask that you to do the same by signing on as a cosponsor and being courageous enough to stand behind it.